History 313
The Rise of Islam
Dr. Mahmood Ibrahim
Office: 94-325; x-3867
mibrahim@csupomona.edu
This course deals with the history of Islam and the Near East until the middle of the fourth century A.H./ eleventh century A. D. This course thus will serve as a historical introduction to most important social, economic, religious and political developments in the region from the rise of Islam until the middle of the 11th century. It serves also as a foundation for the study of later periods of Islamic history. Students will become familiar with background and conditions for the rise and expansion of Islam and the broad developments of early Islamic history through a study of the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphate and other political, religious, economic and social institutions and practices. Students will become familiar with the development of Islamic theology and law, Islamic sects, mysticism and other cultural aspects.
Grades will be based on the following: Midterm (in-class and take-home) 40%; Final (in-class and take-home) 50%; attendance and participation 10%. Extra credit reports are encouraged and should be arranged with the instructor.
Required Texts:
Mahmood Ibrahim. Merchant Capital and Islam.
David Waines. An Introduction to Islam.
W. M. Watt. The Majesty that was Islam.
These books are available in the bookstore. More readings will be handed out in class.
Students are encouraged to consult the Encyclopedia of Islam (Reference section in the Library, hard cover and CD ROM) for any further information and bibliographic reference on events, persons, institutions and other related topics in the larger context of Islamic history. Our library also has Index Islamicus for bibliographic references in Western languages from 1900 on topics related to Islam and Islamic history.
Please note that there will be no makeup of exams or quizzes without legitimate excuse (for example, a doctor's note). We will abide by the policies, standards and procedures found in the General Catalog regarding proper conduct, including plagiarism. Please consult relevant pages in the Catalog, especially pp. 50 ff. and 472.
Lectures and topics for discussion are as follows :
1-Pre-Islamic Arabia and its surroundings
2-Meccan society and the institutional structure
Ibrahim, pp. 1-50.
Additional resources:
De Lacy O'Leary, Arabia before Muhammad.
J. S. Trimingham, Christianity among the Arabs in pre-Islamic times.
3-Muhammad and the rise of Islam
4-The consolidation of the new religion
Ibrahim, pp. 51-98; Waines, pp. 7-32.
Additional resources:
M. Ibrahim, “Social and economic conditions in pre-Islamic Mecca," International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 14 (1982):343-358.
W. M. Watt, Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman.
5-Islamic expansion and the rise of the Caliphate
6-Economic distribution and the first civil war
Ibrahim, pp. 99-155; Waines, pp. 33-60.
Additional resource
F. M. Donner, The Early Islamic Conquests.
7-The Umayyad Caliphate-general characteristics
8-The reforms of Abd al-Malik and Umar II
Ibrahim, 182-197; Watt, pp. 13-56.
Additional resources:
D. Dennett, Conversion and the Poll-tax in Early Islam.
H. A. R. Gibb, "The Fiscal Rescripts of Umar II," Arabica (1955):1-16.
Oleg Grabar, The Formation of Islamic Art.
9-Culture and the Umayyad Caliphate
10-Collapse of the Umayyads.
Watt, pp. 57-92.
Additional resources:
Khalid Blankinship. The End of the Jihad State.
11-The Abbasid Revolution and the new social order.
12-The first Abbasid century.
Watt, pp. 95-120.
Additional resources
M.A. Shaban. The Abbasid Revolution.
M. Ibrahim, "Religious Inquisition as Social Policy in the early Abbasid Caliphate," Arab Studies Quarterly vol. 16 (1994): 53-73.
13-The development of Islamic theology.
14-al-Ma'mun's policies and the decentralization of the Caliphate.
Waines, pp.103-132.
15-The development of Islamic Law.
16-Islamic mysticism-the Sufis.
Watt, pp. 121-148. Waines, pp. 63-102; 133-154.
17-Decentralization, and the rise of military and provincial dynasties.
18-Nomadic movements and agrarian rebellions.
Watt, pp. 151-190.
Additional resources:
Ann Lambton, "Reflection on Iqta'" in Makdisi, Arabic and Islamic Studies in
honor of H. A. R. Gibb.
David Waines "the Third Century internal crisis of the Abbasids," Journal of the Social and Economic History of the Orient 20 (1977) 282-306.
19-The Shi'i century- The rise of the Buyids in the east.
20-The Fatimids in the west.
Watt, pp. 191-233. Waines, pp. 152-172.
Additional resources:
C. Bosworth, "Military Organization under the Buyids of Persia and Iraq,"
Oriens (1965-6): 143-167.
A. Sachedina, Islamic Messianism: the idea of the Mahdi in Twelver Sh'ism.
G. Frantz-Murphy, "A New Interpretation of the economic history of medieval Egypt," Journal of the Economic and social History of the Orient xxiv (1981): 1-8.